Saudi And Houthi Casualties in Border Fighting

Significant fighting along the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia has left at least seven Saudi soldiers and an unknown number of Shi’ite Houthi militiamen slain, in some of the worst border clashing since the most recent round of peace talks began.

A statement from Saudi officials claimed that the seven slain included an officer and six soldiers under his command, and that the Houthis had infiltrated Saudi territory around Najran, before being repulsed by airstrikes in the area.

The Houthis’ statement didn’t discuss casualties, but reported that they’d fired missiles against targets inside Saudi Arabia, whileSaudi warplanes continued bombing their forces both in Saudi Arabia and in northwestern Yemen. Indications are that over a dozen Houthis were killed all told.

Saudi Arabia attacked Yemen over a year ago, but most of the fighting has been in the southern half of the country, not along their mutual border in the north.

The pro-Saudi forces control much of the southern coast of Yemen, while the Houthis control the north, including the capital city of Sanaa.